In 2012 photographer Jett Loe encountered the forgotten Los Angeles District of West Adams, the original wealthy area of town, the “Beverly Hills before Beverly Hills.” Filled with an astonishing collection of Victorian and Craftsman homes in vibrant, diverse neighborhoods West Adams proved to be a revelation. Following a successful Kickstarter campaign Jett spent two years producing this mammoth delight of a book that documents the variety of homes and people in the area.

Totaling a fully interactive 365 pages with 500 photos, 70 oral history audio clips from West Adams residents and two hours of behind-the-scenes video commentary, Untold LA is a massive treasure trove for lovers of Los Angeles, American history and architecture.

Duritos Vendor

[As part of the remit to make the Untold LA iPad Book available to as many people as possible I'll be posting photos from the book in sequential order on a regular basis until all of them are online.]

Mobile street vendors are a common site in West Adams. On page 49 of the Book we've got this image - was shooting a home across the street, saw this vendor cycling by and quickly snapped, (I happened to be standing on a ladder at the time, hence the high vantage point and car antenna in the frame).

He's selling the popular wheat flour snack known as duritos or chicharrones which you mix in a bag with hot sauce and lemon juice; recommended if you find yourself walking in the District and want a little snack.